Blowin' in the Wind
Oct 08 '01 (Updated Jan 30 '04)
The Bottom Line Try to avoid strong gusting wind, but. . . . . .
Well, I thought I'd been through some pretty stiff winds, but last Friday taught me different. Hawaiians love to name things, and when it comes to wind - we have a name for each kind and direction of wind from every district of our islands.
Driving through the district of Kohala, I had the opportunity to experience Ka Makani Apa`apa`a (he Parching Wind) from the back of my Honda Nighthawk 450. What an interesting experience! I do not have a wind-speed indicator on my bike, but a couple of gusts hit me from behind, skidding me briefly forward. For a while I had a steady tailwind. My speedometer read 60 mph, and the breeze across my face was so gentle, it felt as if I was not even moving. Heading into the wind I had the throttle rolled all the way open and was barely able to make 50 mph in 4th and 5th gears. In my 6h gear, I just bogged down.
When the side winds swept around me, I had to keep driving toward the shoulder as I was being blown across the road. I also had the added challenge of carrying a load (I was supposed to do a hula show so I was carrying costumes, my ukulele, and a set of Hawaiian drums on the back of the bike), so the effect was as if I had a sail on the back of the bike. When the wind would catch my load, the back of the bike would be swept sideways.
One of the more interesting sensations was that of leaning the bike toward the outside of turns to get around them - basically driving away from the turn and letting the wind blow me around the corner. My great fear was that the wind would suddenly die during the maneuver.
When I reached home, I phoned and e-mailed several really experienced riders and asked how I should have handled strong, gusting, shifting winds. I was told the best way is to stay off the road.
In this case, that was not an option. By the time I realized that the winds were a serious challenge, I was out in the middle of lava flats, no shelter, and there was a serious possibility that the wind would blow into a full storm, which would have left me trapped out there, at least an hour drive from the nearest shelter. So, with that long preamble, here are Hula Rider's Tips on Riding in the Teeth of the Wind.
1) TRY TO FIND SHELTER AND WAIT OUT THE WIND. This is the best and safest move. When I drove through Waikoloa, the fronds on the palm trees all were pointing one direction and the trunks were vibrating. I still had an hour to my friend's house where I planned to rest and phone for weather reports down the coast.
IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WAIT OUT THE WIND
2) Find the nearest phone and call several establishments and friends along your planned route for weather reports. Do the same for alternate routes. Develop a plan. Phone your friends back and let them know when you will be passing through and allowing them the privilage of feeding you hot cocoa or coffee. If you don't show up within an hour of ETA, they should call the police to look for you. If you find a place to hole up, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE CALL YOUR FRIENDS AND LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE SAFE.
If this is not possible, you'll just have to eyeball the weather and take your own best shot.
3) SPEED - Opinion is almost 50/50 among the experienced riders I know. Half say "The gyroscopic effect will save you here - take it as fast as your traction will let you and blast through." The other half say "The faster you go the less traction you have. Take it slow." BUT there was one third opinion, which is the one I like best because it's the one I used and it got me home - "It's different for each situation. Try a variety of speeds and use the one that gives you the best handling on that road in those conditions."
4) LEANING - This is a constant feel - You'll need to lean into the wind, and when it really kicks, you'll find yourself leaning ON the wind - as in those times I had to push toward the outside of the turns. ALWAYS be prepared for the wind to stop or shift direction and slam you from the other side.
5) SLIPPING - Scary when your tires feel like they are blowing out from under you. That's where all you can do is stay steady and trust those two gyroscopes under your butt. Weight the outside peg and the bike will have better traction. BE PREPARED for when the wind dies a bit and the tires bite in, it can jerk a bit. Stay with the bike.
6) RELAX - Yeah, right. The wind is doing its best to blow my tires out from under me, or shove me off the bike, I'm sliding sideways across the road, and she tells me to relax. Well, yeah. If you are tight, you won't feel the wind change as quickly, and you won't respond as quickly to the changes. Don't be so relaxed you let go, but try to use minimal force to hold the bike on course.
7) ADJUST LOADING - If the wind is compromising your steering, move forward to add weight over the front tire. Tucking down a bit also helps, because it reduces the "sail" effect of your torso.
8) REDUCE SAIL - Your body isa big sail. So is anything loose and floppy on the bike. Try to give the wind as little as possible to grab. If you sit upright, try to lean forward to both get more weight on the front tire, and to "reduce sail."
9) READ YOUR ENVIRONMENT - Look at the grasses, trees, dust, rubbish blowing about. This all will tell you the wind conditions you are heading into.
10) DUST DEVILS - Avoid them if you can without causing other problems, but intimidating as they look, they are minor unless they are carrying flowerpots (yes, I had to dodge a flying flowerpot) or other objects. If you do hit one, it will try to yank your front wheel around. You'll probably feel a bit of a jerk. Stay steady and ride through it. You'll be through it before it can drop you.
11) REST WHEN YOU CAN - Like in the lee of a hill, or in the shadow oif a truck - BUT BE READY FOR THE NEXT GUST.
12) IF YOU STOP - Try to stop nose or tail to the wind. DO NOT park with the centerstand toward the wind. It's way too easy for the wind to blow a stopped bike over.
So, good luck, and may you find GENTLE breezes,
Hula Rider
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
hularider
|
|
Member: Leilehua Yuen
Location: Hilo, Hawaii, USA
Reviews written: 69
Trusted by: 8 members
About Me:
HulaRider is an author, artist, and educator who specializes in Hawaiian culture and arts.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.